Sometimes it pays to throw money at problems. Consider the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power’s plans to deliver millions of power-saving compact fluorescent light bulbs to every household in the city.

The DWP will spend an estimated $5million to purchase the bulbs and then deliver them door to door (two per household). If ratepayers put the bulbs to use immediately, the resulting energy savings would amount to $84 million over five years.

Publicity about the program should multiply the public’s interest buying more CFL bulbs. The DWP program should pay off handsomely for consumers and the utility.